Delhi takes first innings lead as wickets tumble on opening day

New Delhi, Nov 4 (UNI) In a day dominated by bowlers, wickets fell like nine pins as Delhi took 34 run first innings lead against Rajasthan on the opening day of the group A super league Ranji Trophy match here today.

Only 210 runs were scored and 20 wickets fell as team's fortune fluctuated till the fag end of the last session in which Delhi gained the edge over their rivals.

Asked to bat first Delhi were bundled out for paltry 119 but the hosts struck back strongly dismissing Rajasthan for mere 85 runs. At stumps Delhi were six for no loss.

It was Rajasthan's burly fast bowler Pankaj Singh who broke the back of Delhi batting claiming five wickets for just 43 runs off 15 overs, S Mathur took three for 32.

Delhi started cautiously with their openers Aakash Chopra(16) and Shikhar Dhawan putting up 33 runs for the first wicket. Chopra edged Pankaj and Jhalani took a good catch behind the wickets.

Dhawan(35) and Mayank Tehlan added 29 runs for the second wicket to take the score to 62 but at this stage Aslam struck trapping Dhawan leg before.

After that remaining Delhi batsmen just fell by the waysides as they failed to negotiate Pankaj Singh and later S Mathur and eight wickets fell in a space of 57 runs and 19.2 overs.

Besides two openers only Virat Kohli (19), Chatinya Nanda(10) and Pardeep Sangwan(10) could cross the double digit. The Delhi innings lasted barely 38.3 overs.

Rajastan, coached by former Delhi captain K P Bhaskar, started their reply poorly as they lost their opener A Sharma when the score was only 6. In fact it was a total batting failure of the visitors as their innings folded at 85.

Only opener V Saxena showed guts and confidence to face Delhi's four pronged pace attack. He dug at the crease for 173 minutes to score 35 runs with the help of five fours and his was the ninth wicket to fall. R Bist (14) was the only other batsman to cross the double digit .

Sangwan (3/29),Amit Bhandari(2/22),Rajath Bhatia(3/16) and Kunal Lal(2/15) shared the wickets.

UNI